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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. current — happening now
  3. tube — a container
  4. current — electric
  5. file — a tool
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. file — a line of people
  11. swing — music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — of water
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. file — a document
  18. firm — a company
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. firm — decided
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com